Everyone goes to Rick's
by ThreeMagpies
Summary: A Revolution fic, AU, Niles, In a world at war, Miles Matheson is done with fighting and has gone off the grid, running a bar called Rick's in the gangland wastes of drowned Chicago. He thinks he's left the past behind. Then one night his ex girlfriend Nora Clayton walks into the bar with another face from his past, Jeremy Baker.
1. Chapter 1

**Everyone goes to Rick's**

A Revolution fic (No Blackout AU): Miles Matheson, Nora Clayton, Niles, Jeremy Baker. Rating M.

The near future and a lot has changed. The world has been at war for fifteen years and the seas are rising flooding coastlines and low lying communities, driving those who can afford it onto floating islands or secure, tech rich enclaves guarded by private armies. Those who don't have the resources manage as best they can in a world running out of everything, including hope.

Miles Matheson is done with fighting and has gone off the grid, running a bar in the gangland wastes of drowned Chicago. He thinks he's left the past behind. Then one night his ex girlfriend Nora Clayton walks into the bar with another face from his past, Jeremy Baker.

AN: This is for the OrgyArmada's 60 moods of summer' fic fest, it's taken me a while, but at least it's still summer! The prompts I've used are in the chapter titles, and I'm planning another two parts (I think). The story title is a quote from 'Casablanca' and that film also inspired some other parts of the story. Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you enjoy…

 **Part one:**

 **Your ex lover's lover. A dress.**

Miles liked Friday nights, especially hot Friday nights. The bar was always full to bursting with thirsty punters, their money flowing like Niagara over the antique wooden bar.

He usually just sat back and watched it all happen from his private table at the back, and tonight he was enjoying a bottle of his private stash of single malt and some fine Mississippi blues. There were a lot of wandering musicians these days, playing for food and a dry bed and this guy was very good, in fact he was thinking about getting his own guitar out and joining in.

Tonight was going particularly well, with the usual crowd of regulars, Chicago natives mostly, hanging on in there, making the best of things. They seemed to like the pre-war retro, low-tech feel. There was a bubbling, rowdy hen's night party over in one corner, a few lonely travelling salesmen looking for love, some working girls and guys, ditto, and a quartet of rich gambling types on tour to experience the low life in Chicago and the other drowning cities in the good old US of A. Their guide and guards were some of his regulars of course. One of those win win situations.

The seas were rising and the whole world was at war but that hadn't stopped the tourists. Miles didn't care, their gold was real and they spent plenty of it...

He huffed, took a sip of his drink and sat back to watch the show, the familiar smooth bite of the whiskey welcome in his throat, the buzz of it hitting his brain even more welcome than that.

Just another Friday night…

Then he tensed, feeling eyes on him. Max, the seven-foot brick wall who worked the door on the weekends was waving over at him, his eyes darting back to a couple just coming in, a man and a woman, dressed like they were going to a party at the White house, their personal shields like glimmering Kirlian haloes.

Miles hissed in a breath when he saw who the hell it was, his whole body slamming to full alert. In all the fucking bars in all the world etc etc... Then he nodded an ok at Max, drained his glass and put it down, carefully. Real ones were hard to replace these days.

Nora Clayton and Jeremy Baker (what the fuck?) strolled towards him, gazing around and posing like rich fucking peacocks with Nora looking like something from one of his better dreams.

Every eye in the bar was fixed on them the minute they walked in, conversation rising to a confused, excited babble, the music drowned. Once they saw where the two exotic visitors were heading though there was a kind of universal shuffle of chairs and a respectful hush as everyone got back to attending to their own business, a ripple of hissed instructions passing round to those who didn't know the rules...

Rule number one was that the tall, dark and dangerous owner of Rick's didn't socialise with customers, although these particular punters were obviously kind of special…

Miles took a deep breath but kept his face calm, one hand carefully relaxed on the table, the other under it on his gun, just in case, his heart pounding as they got closer, although he knew it didn't show on the outside. 'Nice outfits you two, you're classing up the place, but you might as well turn the sparklers off, they won't work in here.'

A cloud of camera bugs popped into existence above Jeremy's head, tiny, swirling, green and bright.

Fucking Fireflies…

He flicked a glance up, 'neither will they'

The cloud vanished, the tiny green lights puffing out of existence leaving miniature crimson flashes on his retinas…

Nora watched them go, 'I wish I could make them do that, I thought we'd lost them on the way here, but they follow Jeremy round like little social page puppies…' Her lips were full and red, glossy with real lipstick, hair black and shining and piled high on her head with waves of it falling around her face and her skin gleaming like perfect coffee silk. The long black dress she was almost wearing was cut so low at the front Miles knew she couldn't be wearing anything underneath, and her long silver necklace shimmered between her breasts, rising and falling with her breath…

His fingers gripped the edge of the table. God, he'd almost forgotten how beautiful she was, and that dress looked like it was begging to be ripped off…

'So why don't they work in here?' She was right in front of him now, taller than he remembered in those high, fuck me shoes, her perfume musky, exotic. She was glad to see him too. He could smell it, although she and Jeremy fucking Baker could have just had a quick fuck on the way here. The thought of that made jealousy burn red tangles in his belly, made the whiskey taste sour in his throat. Fuck.

Jeremy was just behind her, alert, checking the place out. Looming blond and pale in a perfectly cut, perfectly black suit, his lips twisted in that familiar lopsided smile, his eyes the blue of poker chips. The eyes had focused on an oval, silver pendant round Miles' neck, 'That's nice, not your usual style though…' he glanced around the room, then back again. 'Love the candles too… So whatever it is just works in the bar?'

Miles shrugged, an eyebrow lifting. 'Something like that, it's just a gimmick really, nothing special… a present from Ben. Helps me keep the riff raff out, although it does have its limitations.' He held two fingers up at Jim, got a nod back then spread his hands out wide. 'Anyway, welcome to Rick's, pull up a seat,'

Jeremy dragged a couple of chairs over from the next table, held one out for Nora then sat down.

Nora's dress rustled as she sat, the necklace catching in the tempting hollow between her breasts. She adjusted it, her fingers slim, strong, her cheeks flushed... 'It's good to see you, Miles'.

Shit, having her this close was already driving him crazy… Miles watched her hand, remembering the feel of her skin, the honey sweet softness just where the necklace rested, his lips, tongue and cock remembering the taste of the tender flesh around her nipple as he played there, the slick, delicious softness between her legs, the heat from their bodies filling a cheap hotel room on weekend furlough, the wet, urgent sounds of flesh in flesh still alive in his ears.

She'd been smooth, lithe, writhing and totally fucking gorgeous lying there in that big bed. Fuck, in any bed... He cleared his throat and shifted on his seat, dick twitching and his pants getting tight. He ignored it, for now anyway. 'Yeah, it's good to see you too, even you Jer… '

Jeremy shrugged, an eyebrow twitching.

Miles leaned closer, keeping his voice low. 'I'm not even going to ask how you found me, but why now?' His eyes raked Nora's shoulders, her face, 'and why are you dressed up like you're going to some fancy fucking party instead of the boondocks?'

She twitched a shoulder and licked her lips, leaning towards him, her voice soft and as low as his and a hand reaching over to pat his cheek. 'Hiding in plain sight, Miles. We're just tourists looking for a thrill in the wilds of Chicago. Like I said, the fireflies follow our favourite VR star Jeremy everywhere.' She grinned, 'everywhere but here apparently.'

Jeremy shrugged again. Not even blushing, 'the price of fame, I guess.'

Miles choked off a laugh, her fingers feeling hot on his skin, like brands. 'Yeah, whatever.'

She let go, sat back, smiling as the barman brought over a tray with a bottle of the good stuff and two clean glasses, both of his hands glinting metallic silver in the candlelight. Nora carefully avoided looking at those. 'Hi Jim, how are you?'

Jim Hudson smiled back at her, his teeth very white against his dark skin, 'Much better than I was. It's good to see you again, Nora,' he put the tray down and glanced at Jeremy, his eyes measuring, speculative, 'Jeremy'.

Jeremy nodded, 'Hi Jim'

The dark eyes swept back to Nora. 'You're flying high these days.'

She shrugged, 'just trying to keep my head above water.'

'Aren't we all…' He put the bottle and glasses on the table in front of Miles, 'you want anything else, Boss?'

Miles shook his head, 'nah, thanks Jim,' he looked up, 'tell Max to close up would you? No one else comes in tonight.'

'You got it…' he picked up the tray, nodded at Nora then left.

Miles picked up the bottle and poured a round, 'So how's Bass?'

Jeremy shrugged, he looked just as Miles remembered, a little leaner maybe, his face vid star smooth except for the designer stubble. 'Oh, you know, doing what Senators do, talking a lot, kissing ass, making blond, curly haired babies for the war effort...' He reached for his glass and took a sip. 'People say he's going to give Davis a run for his money in this election'

Miles snorted. 'President Monroe? Bass'll love that, hell, maybe he'll even do some good...' He tossed back his drink and reached for the bottle, pouring himself another. 'So why pick my bar to be tourists in?'

Nora took a deep breath, 'I need your help.'

He sat back, fingers playing with his glass, his other hand back hovering near his gun in a kind of reflex. 'And what makes you think I'd want to help you?'

She leaned forward, holding his gaze, hers hard, angry. 'You owe me, Miles, you know what for...'

Jeremy put a hand on her arm. 'Just tell him, Nora…'

She heaved a breath out, 'It's Mia. She's gone, left her unit. I think she's joined the rebels.'

Miles looked at her for a long moment, ran a hand over his face and rubbed his eyes. 'Not here,' He stood up, 'Nora, come with me.'

Jeremy frowned, holding on to Nora's arm as she started to get up, 'hold on, she's not going anywhere in this shit hole without me.'

Two pairs of dark eyes turned to him.

Nora shook her arm free, 'don't be ridiculous, Jeremy'

'I know her, in every fucking sense of the word,' Miles stared down at him, 'I don't think I know you any more.'

Nora frowned, impatient. 'Miles. Come on...'

He nodded, slowly, still staring at Jeremy. 'You. Stay here. I'll know if you don't and so will Jim' his lips twisted in a kind of smile, 'and as you might have noticed, his hands do work in here.'

….

AN: Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you're enjoying the story so far. Please let me know what you think if you have a minute Part 2: Lust, and Part 3: Don't look away will be up soon. Cheers, Magpie


	2. Chapter 2

**Everyone goes to Rick's**

A Revolution fic (No Blackout AU): Miles Matheson, Nora Clayton, Niles, Jeremy Baker. Rating M.

The near future and a lot has changed. The world has been at war for fifteen years and the seas are rising flooding coastlines and low lying communities, driving those who can afford it onto floating islands or secure, tech rich enclaves guarded by private armies. Those who don't have the resources manage as best they can in a world running out of everything, including hope.

Miles Matheson is done with fighting and has gone off the grid, running a bar in the gangland wastes of drowned Chicago. He thinks he's left the past behind. Then one night his ex girlfriend Nora Clayton walks into the bar with another face from his past, Jeremy Baker.

AN: Welcome to part two of this story for the OrgyArmada's 60 moods of summer' fic fest. Thanks so much for reading and for your kind comments on part one, I hope you enjoy this next bit…

 **Part two: Lust…**

Miles took Nora through the back door and up the stairs to his private quarters, his hand on her arm, her skin feeling warm, smooth, her hair smelling like dark honey and sin and her hips swaying, tempting with every step. The black, silky stuff of her dress was like a second skin on her body, the fabric shimmering against the golden gleam of her skin in the light of the oil lamps set in sconces up the wall. The lush curves of her ass bunched and released as she moved and the hot, wet, female scent of her raced from his brain to his dick like a fucking lightning ball.

Then as she moved past a lamp the material glimmered transparent and he could see that she was wearing nothing under it, nothing at all…

He let her go up ahead of him, his hands twitching then clenched into fists, muscles straining to held back from just fucking grabbing her, bending her over the stair rail, yanking that damn dress up and just... He swallowed hard. Shit.

They got to his door. 'This is it…' his voice was hoarse, deeper than usual…

She knew what he was thinking, of course, because she knew him, and she turned and stared, her deep, glowing, caramel brown eyes fixed on his.

He stared back, drowning in those eyes, the way they tilted just a little bit at the corners, the… Fuck, he should be over her by now. She was the one who'd told him to go sort himself out when his shit hit the fan and then she had the balls to came looking for him when her own crap went flying?

'Miles?

He blinked, his eyes dropping to her full, red lips, the tip of her tongue just visible… Then he pulled himself together and told his dick to quit. She was only here because she wanted his help, not because she wanted him… then the thought of her with Baker made him grit his teeth and clench his fists, again… he forced his hands open and reached past her to open the door, which looked and felt like wood, but was actually reinforced steel like the rest of the room. The previous owner of the hotel had obviously been a little paranoid, which was a good thing, because so the fuck was Miles Matheson.

Although it wasn't being paranoid if they really were out to get you, yadda yadda...

He pressed his thumb on the ID seal and waved her through as it slid open, sucking in a breath when her breast and hip brushed him on the way. Shit. She glanced back at him as she sauntered into his room. Her eyes slanting a challenge that he had to pull himself back from taking up…

He cleared his throat… 'So what's the deal with you and Baker?' He lit the oil lamp by the door as the door hissed shut behind them and went over to do the same to the others set up around the room. He kept things low tech lately, deliberately, just being cautious. Ben had been right about stuff before…

Nora walked in and looked around. 'As I said, hiding in plain sight, Miles. Jeremy's good cover, people have seen us out together before, they won't be suspicious...' The big room smelled of clean linen, whiskey and leather with lots of dark, rich colours from rugs, candles and brass oil lamps set up around the room with a door set off to the side – bathroom maybe? There was a big bed made up military style, set against the wall furthest from the double windows with a mosquito net hanging from a ringed hook on the ceiling above it. The row of small windows high on the outer wall were barred, the glass reinforced with steel mesh and she counted a dozen visible weapons stations around the room, with probably twice that many again hidden away if she knew Miles, and she did. There were probably at least two other exits too…

'What people?' Fuck other people, he was suspicious…

She ran a hand down the worn leather sheath of a machete hanging on the wall, checking the blade, approving. It slid in and out of the sheath with a smooth metallic snick… and it was oiled, well cared for and very, very sharp. 'My people… I'm officially on leave from the bureau and I'm careful, but you know Victor Doyle, he gives paranoia a whole new meaning.'

He paused, 'Yeah…' The lamp he'd just lit threw his shadow across the room like something out of a scary movie. 'Doyle's a snake, and what makes you think you can trust Baker? Isn't he the poster boy of the administration now?'

She shrugged, 'I asked him to come with me as cover, and all I told him was that I wanted to ask you if you'd heard anything down here about the rebels and the underground railway to Canada. Mia isn't due back at base for another two days, I've got time to get her back if I can get a lead...'

'What if Mia doesn't want to go back? And what makes you think I know anything about the rebels or the fucking railway?'

She turned towards him, the lamplight outlining her curves in shimmering black. She looked slim, gorgeous, exotic and almost fragile, if you didn't know how strong she was. 'I know you remember? And she's got to go back. If she gets caught as a deserter it's the firing squad or cryo if she's lucky, you know that. She's my sister, Miles, I can't let that happen, I'm sorry I brought Jeremy here but there wasn't anyone else…'

He blew out a breath between his teeth. Shit. 'Ok, I'll see what I can turn up, I owe you that much…'

She huffed, 'You owe me a lot more than that but help me find Mia and we'll call it even.' She walked over to a big wooden desk against the wall behind the door, an antiquated desktop computer sitting on top of it. A pendant like the one Miles was wearing hung shining over the monitor, a little power signal lit up on the front. She walked over and had a look, trying to hide that she was feeling hot and a little dizzy with him being so close. It was harder seeing him again than she'd thought it'd be. He put her off balance, made it hard to think.

She held the pendant in her hand. It was heavier than it looked, with a strangely compelling design etched into the surface. She put it back, 'I've heard that the power's been acting weird out here – and some other places. Does it have anything to do with these things? With Ben? Is he working with the rebels, Miles? Are you with them?'

Miles started towards her, his black duster belling out behind him. 'You ask a hell of a lot of questions, Nora.'

Her hands clenched, body tense. 'Mia wiped her avatar and social accounts before she left and she removed her neural implant too, carved it out with a knife for fuck's sake so she could go dark. She thinks she can hide but she can't, no one can.' She hissed out a breath, her eyes following him as he got closer… 'You think you're safe here, Miles? Hidden off the grid? You're not. Doyle already knows about Rick's, although I don't think he knows it's you running it, not yet...'

His eyes narrowed, 'How long have I got?' He stopped just in front of her.

She had to look up, even with her heels. 'Days maybe? A week ? I've done what I can, diverted reports, downplayed things, but it's only a matter of time before they send someone to check this place out, you know that, things are hotting up everywhere...' She pointed at the computer. 'So what are you doing down here, Miles? This thing was old before the war. It shouldn't even be working.' The computer screen was blank except for a flashing mail icon in the bottom corner, 'and you've got mail…' She turned back to him, 'who are you talking to?' her eyes were worried, 'if it's Ben, be careful, Miles, they're watching him too, you know that.'

He glanced towards the screen, face blank, non-committal. 'I run a bar, Nora. People come here and spend money. But the city's fucking falling apart and the power comes and goes so we make do.' He turned back to her. 'Why did Mia leave anyway? With you in the Bureau she'd have had it easy. Plenty of food, light duties, and I bet you made sure she was in a unit that didn't get sent to the hot spots.'

She looked away. 'I did what I could, but the rebels are getting stronger, louder, there're more everyday, no matter what the government does. They're saying that Davis is leading us to disaster, fighting a war that we can't win.' She sighed. 'And they've got good intel, Miles, they found out that Davis is going to reduce rations and the age of conscription, make it so that people who volunteer their kids before they get conscripted get more food, more medical, more tech, more everything.' She glanced at the computer, 'maybe you haven't heard, it was only announced this morning. Mia's been acting strange for the last few days though, withdrawn, angry even before the changes went public. I think she's gone to join them, Miles.'

The light was behind him and he loomed over her, eyes shadowed and dark, mouth set in tight lines and his broad shoulders and strong frame intimidating, powerful. 'Ok, I'll see what I can turn up and I'll help you find her, if I can.'

She let out a long breath, 'thanks…'

He was silent for a moment, 'you didn't answer me before, not properly, what's the deal with Baker, are you sleeping with him?'

Nora stood her ground. Seeing him again, being this close to him was doing things to her that she'd almost, almost forgotten, but she was getting pissed too. He was jealous? Now? When he hadn't made the slightest fucking effort to see her again after she told him to go get his shit together?

She glared up at him. 'What if I am?'

'Do you love him?' His eyes pulled shadows from the room.

'What if I do?' Damn it, she refused to back down although he was so close now she could feel the heat of his body, feel his tension, his breath on her face, his eyes hard, angry.

'I know you, Nora, he's not your type.' He was almost close enough to kiss her now.

Her hands darted out before she knew it, shoving against his chest but it was like pushing against a brick wall, 'so what is my type? You? Fuck you!' She was so angry she could hardly see straight.

'It's always been me, at least it was until you fucking told me to go.' He leaned into her hands, forcing them back, his body almost, almost touching hers now.

She lost it then, her eyes burning with stupid, ridiculous tears, she brushed them away with her other hand. 'I didn't want you to go, you moron. You and Jim tried to shoot President Davis for fuck's sake. They were going to put you into Cryo forever and the only reason they didn't just stick you both in front of a firing squad first was that you were fucking war heroes with enough medals between you to sink a ship and Davis would have lost a pile of votes if he shot you.' She stuck her face up towards his, furious, 'I helped you and Jim get away after they let you out of that hospital but you didn't even bother to let me know where you were and how you were doing did you? I had to find out for myself, Miles.' She started hitting him, her fists pounding into his shoulders, his chest, his arms and it felt so amazingly fucking good she just kept on going.

He stood still, letting her do it, taking everything… then he brushed her hands away, pulling her hard against him, his hands everywhere, over her back, her ass, pulling one of her knees towards him, backing her against the wall so she had to lean on him, then one behind her neck, pulling her lips to his in a bruising, punishing kiss.

Nora fell onto him, her rage spilling itself into the kiss, his teeth and tongue battling hers, her hands in his hair, her nails scoring the skin of his neck and his shoulders under the jacket, loving, needing the feel of his hands on her again, hers on him, his tall, body next to hers. Fuck, she'd forgotten how strong he was, the taste of him, the dark, male, whiskey and leather scent of him. She felt one of his hands on the bare flesh of her leg, under her dress, his fingers gripping hard, hungry, possessive… the other one at her shoulders, yanking the straps down, her breasts suddenly loose, her nipples jutting proud as her dress slid down over belly, hips and legs, pooling on the floor at her feet...

His lips left hers and he leaned back a little, his eyes blown to deep, hot black as they raked over her, his breath coming hard and fast, 'I thought you'd be better off without me,'

She swallowed, dizzy with wanting him, hanging on to his shoulders, her legs feeling like jelly and her pussy so wet her thighs were slippery with it. 'You're a fucking idiot, Miles Matheson'

His hands slid down her front and back, over breasts and ass, sliding between the rounded globes, his fingers invading her, thick and hard, slipping over every slick fold, every soft crease and nerve, into every hole, every part of her, his eyes holding hers while he did it, his voice deep, hoarse…'Did Baker touch you like this?' his fingers went further, deeper, 'or this?'

She was gasping, her head falling back, her shoulders against the wall while her hips thrust against him, hands holding on for dear life to the leather of his jacket, helpless as the waves took her and she came and came… And then his fingers were gone. Her knee lifted up under one of his arms and his cock inside her instead. Thick, long and so fucking hard she couldn't catch her breath, couldn't breathe as he pumped and plunged inside her, his balls slapping against her with each thrust and the thick fabric of his jeans rubbing the inside of her thighs, his body surrounding her, holding her up…

His lips were against her ear, his breath hot. His heavy stubble rasped against her cheek and his voice was a harsh whisper while his free hand framed her breast, his thumb flicking her nipple…'Did it feel like this when he fucked you?'

She managed a gasping, panting laugh, every part of her buzzing, 'I don't know, I haven't fucked him.'

…

AN: thanks so much for reading! This story is leading me somewhere… I'm really not sure where yet, but I hope to see you at the next chapter! cheers, Magpie


	3. Chapter 3

**Everyone goes to Rick's**

A Revolution fic (No Blackout AU): Miles Matheson, Nora Clayton, Niles, Jeremy Baker. Rating M.

The near future and a lot has changed. The world has been at war for fifteen years and the seas are rising flooding coastlines and low lying communities, driving those who can afford it onto floating islands or secure, tech rich enclaves guarded by private armies. Those who don't have the resources manage as best they can in a world running out of everything, including hope.

Miles Matheson is done with fighting and has gone off the grid, running a bar in the gangland wastes of drowned Chicago. He thinks he's left the past behind. Then one night his ex girlfriend Nora Clayton walks into the bar with another face from his past, Jeremy Baker.

AN: Welcome to part 3 of this story for the OrgyArmada's 60 moods of summer' fic fest. Thanks so much for reading and for your kind comments on parts one and two, I hope you enjoy this next bit…

 **Part three: Don't look away, Rage…**

They'd ended up collapsed on the bed after round three, the sheets in a tangled, labyrinthine mess, cushions scattered and the mosquito net and its frame in tattered pieces on the floor where Miles had thrown it.

Nora opened her eyes, kicked her foot free of a bit of sheet and slid over the hair roughened skin of his legs until she was riding him, her hair swinging over her shoulders and tickling her nipples…

He licked his lips, eyes hooded and lazy on her breasts, hands coming from behind his head to rest on her hips and his fingers spreading out over her ass, pulling her towards the hard column of his waiting cock. 'I like your hair long.'

She shrugged, a slow smile spreading over her lush lips, 'didn't have to fit it under a helmet anymore so…'

A buzzer went off, the harsh sound blaring from a panel near the door.

'Shit, that's the emergency buzzer…' Miles got up, tumbling her off him and striding over to the panel, cock swaying in front of his tall, tanned and powerful body, the twisted pink-white lines of scars from bullet, blade and other things snaking down his left leg, hip and across his shoulders. He flipped the panel cover open and pressed a couple of buttons. 'Yeah?'

Nora rolled off the bed, landing lightly onto her feet, alert...

Jim's voice came out of the speaker, 'Miles, we've got incoming. Two ATV's with a full squad of MP's by the hot spots, coming in from the southwest, eta five minutes give or take, but there's nothing in the sky but Satellites and fireflies, so it looks like it's ground crew only... Oh, and Baker's gone. He must have slipped out when everyone else left. Max thinks he's been gone about ten minutes give or take, but it's a bit hectic down here getting everyone out and he doesn't know for sure…'

Miles let out a heavy breath. 'Fuck... I thought there was something up with Baker.' He ran a hand through his hair, leaving it sticking up... 'Plan B?'

'Evac's almost done, Max is just helping old man Yates out with his cats, but they'll be the last ones. D'you want me to stay and help you guys?'

'Nah, I'll handle it. I just need to grab a couple of things and we'll be out of here. You go take care of Sophie and the kids. I'll find you later.'

'Thanks, good luck, Miles.'

'You too, Jim, now get going…' He went to the computer and punched a few keys on the ancient keyboard, tapping his fingers on the table as the system started up, 'better grab your crap, Nora.'

She nodded, frowning, already gathering her things from where they were scattered over the floor, 'Jeremy's gone? He didn't message me, must have got tired of waiting.' She glanced over at him. 'And why are you using that antique anyway? I've got a signal. Doesn't your com work in here?'

He snorted, busy working, accessing local satellite and security camera feeds, focusing in on their visitors. 'I had it removed as soon as I got here. There were enough voices in my head already after the crap they force fed me in that fucking hospital.' Miles kept scrolling through the night vision pov feeds on the screen until he froze, focused on one face and zoomed in. 'Strausser? You have got to be fucking kidding me.' He swung round, face grim, eyes narrowed. 'Why the fuck would Doyle send Will Strausser after you?'

She dropped everything on the bed and hurried over, shaking her head, 'I don't know. As far as they're concerned I'm out on a date with Jeremy… Unless… Shit… ' Her voice trailed off, eyes intent as she concentrated. 'I'm trying to access my bureau account but it's not working. It looks like they've cut me off from everything, even my personal stuff, I can't even patch in through the back door. Fuck...' She slumped, wrapping her arms round her middle. 'It has to be Jeremy… I'm sorry, Miles. I shouldn't have trusted him.'

He stared at her for a long moment. 'So what's this really about? They wouldn't send a psycho like Strausser on a hunt for a runaway conscript no matter whose sister she is. He's their chief fucking executioner.'

She took a deep breath, avoiding his eyes. 'I should have seen it but I didn't. They must have found out about me, and that I knew where you were, so they used Mia to get me to lead them to you. They already suspected that Ben was feeding someone out here info and illegal tech, and that it was probably you, and now they know for sure. ' She nodded over at the pendant. 'Jeremy saw the one you're wearing down in the bar remember? So this isn't about the rebels at all or about Mia. Its about the tech. About those pendants.'

He grunted, 'Ok, so if they want them that badly, we'll have to make sure they don't get them.' He turned back to the computer and started typing, 'and I need to warn Ben.'

She rubbed her hands down her thighs, looking around the room. 'Yeah… Miles, I need some clothes, street clothes. Mine are out on the boat.' She shrugged, 'or they were. Jeremy's got them now.'

Miles tipped his head towards a tall cupboard by the back wall. 'There should be something in there that'll fit you. It belonged to the wife of the guy who used to own this place, this was their panic room.' He sent the message, plugged the flash drive from the pendant into a port and backed everything up. Then retrieved it, reassembled the pendant, pointed it at the old machine and in a flash of light and a wisp of smoke the monitor, tower and keyboard disintegrated into a pile of melted metal and plastic. He slung the pendant around his neck with the other one and headed back for his own clothes, gathering more weapons from the walls and other stashes on the way. 'So what do you mean, they found out about you?'

Nora was already over at the cupboard, opening the doors, pulling out bits and pieces from the shelves and hangers inside and putting them on, talking as she went, 'I'm a rebel, Miles. A Patriot, have been for months now. Working on the inside. We make sure the truth gets out to people about what Davis is doing.' She stopped for a moment. 'But Mia's gone, and I can't help her now. Because I'm on the run too.'

He stared. 'So why did you join the rebels, Nora? You were one of the elite. You had everything on a fucking plate, food, money, everything, for you and for Mia. Why risk that?'

Her eyes flashed… 'I couldn't do it, Miles. I couldn't keep living with what was happening.' She finished pulling on a hooded jacket over a simple tank and sweat pants and bent to do up a pair of hiking boots that were just a little bit too big, looking over at him, 'I came here to warn you as well as find out if you'd heard anything about Mia. Like I said, I knew they were checking this place out, but I didn't know that Jeremy was part of it, or that they'd send Strausser.'

Miles had thrown his clothes back on and had a backpack open on the bed, throwing stuff into it from the drawers beside the bed. He finished packing, zipped it up and slung it over his shoulder, buckling on his gun and sword belts at the same time, then started for the door, grabbing a few more things from around the walls on the way. He caught her eyes. 'I don't know where Mia is, Nora, but we can talk later, right now we gotta go. Doyle is one major son of a bitch, but if it came to a choice between him or Strausser, I'd take Doyle any day.'

She nodded, 'can't argue with that,' hung another rifle over her shoulder, stuffed some more ammo in her jacket pockets then took a set of throwing knives from a shelf on the wall and headed towards him, checking him out. 'Swords?'

He shrugged. 'Ammo's fucking hard to get these days, even for the bureau apparently. Strausser's goons are carrying blades as well as guns.'

Nora came close, her eyes huge, dark velvet... 'I'm sorry about this, Miles,'

He shrugged. 'Running a bar was starting to get boring anyway, ' he leaned close, kissing her, deep, hard. 'Ready?'

'Always,' her eyes were black, hot, promising more soon…

He licked his lips, tasting her there, the memory of being balls deep inside her, of her writhing under him flashing through his brain, his dick twitching, 'hold on to that thought…'

She ran a hand up over the heavy scruff on his cheek, her fingers soft and strong at the same time, 'so do you have a safe house?'

The grin turned into a smirk. 'I've always got a safe house.' He opened the door and led the way out.

The lamps were still on and candles burning but the hotel was empty, deserted, echoing and as they made their way down, Miles got increasingly pissed, it might have gotten a tad boring, but Rick's was his place and he didn't like people fucking it up.

He led them down the service stairs to the back doors and original delivery dock of the hotel. The lower half and car park were under water and now functioned as the boathouse and at the moment it was brightly lit by flood lights coming in from outside the doors. Pulling a vintage smartphone out of a pocket Miles flicked it on. 'Shit.'

Nora glanced at him, 'what?'

He drew his swords, 'we've got one ATV right outside. They're giving us the light show. The other boat's gone round the front of the hotel so if we can deal with the guys in this one we'll have a head start. Get ready for incoming…'

She nodded and ran, dropping onto the walkway behind the low safety wall of the ramp, facing the entrance and propping the barrel of her very much not antique smart rifle on the wall, thanking her lucky stars that at least Miles had kept up to date with some things. 'How many?'

'Eight, maybe ten… Easy' He backed up into the shadows behind the big wooden sliding doors, swords glinting.

She lifted an eyebrow. 'You think? What about Strausser?'

'I tagged him, he's in the other boat.'

The doors slid open with a clattering crash, and with their shadows cast into the big, shadowy space and reflected in the wide expanse of water by the floodlights like huge, long limbed alien monsters, the attackers rushed in along the metal walkways to the dry ramp, the sparkling haloes of their body armour shorting out when they entered the pendants field of influence, their muffled shouts of alarm and confusion echoing round the room.

Then it was on.

Miles was a blur of movement in the middle of a whirling, clashing circle of five uniformed, helmeted figures, his face a mask of concentrated rage, his swords slicing and dicing through the pack of attackers, dropping them one by one with an ease that made them look slow...

Nora focused on the four coming in the side doors and the upper level mezzanine, the smart sights and heat seeker rounds of her gun making it almost ridiculously easy. Her cover mainly kept her safe from return fire, although a couple of stone chips shattered off the ramp caught her across one temple. She ignored that though, wiping away the blood trickling down with the back of her hand once she took care of the last of them.

Miles finished his last one off with a sideways slash and an uppercut that left his swords dripping. He wiped them off on the guy's pants leg, sheathed them, collected his pack from behind the door and ran for a small boat moored at the edge of the water. 'Come on…'

She got to her feet, catching up her own bag and running to join him. 'I think I know why they want those pendants so badly, Miles.' She got in and took up shotgun position on her belly at the front of the boat.

He grinned, his hand tucking them back inside his shirt. 'Yeah, and that's not the half of it, just wait till they find out what else they can do.' He started the motor, heading them out through the open doors.

Outside, the ATV was waiting, it's lights blazing, merciless and harsh, the big square bulk of the drowning hotel and the other buildings around the square outlined in vivid, lurid streaks of red, white and blue…

Nora shot out the lights and the engine and the big ATV exploded in a screaming fireball that lit up everything around for a gorgeous, incandescent moment… She whooped, arm pumping, her eyes and ears smarting with the noise and afterimage flashes although her blood was racing hot and the part of her that just loved blowing things up was red hot and wishing she could just jump Miles' bones, right fucking now…

Then everything seemed to go quiet, the fiery remnants of the ATV sinking into the water, the red and orange glows going dark and little red sparks and flakes of ash raining softly down from the dissipating smoke cloud above their heads…

Miles chuckled, the dry sound floating through the night air. 'Well that was fun, although I gotta admit it wasn't exactly on my original plan for today.'

Nora turned so she could see his face, the wind blowing her hair loose from its tie. She pulled it back with the hand not holding the gun, her lips curving into a wide grin. 'Welcome to the rebellion, Miles.'

He snorted, 'So when do I get my t-shirt and cap?'

The sound of a police siren split the air, the sound echoing between the buildings, coming closer.

Miles sped up. 'That'll be fucking Strausser, and we can't outrun him in this.' He steered the boat under the shelter of one of the footbridges that hung between buildings in the square, turning off the motor and tying off to a rail, 'we'll wait till they're inside checking things out then make a run for it,'

'Nora Clayton, help Mia' the harsh, amplified voice echoed over the water.

Nora went very still, 'Miles? He's got Mia...'

…

AN: Hi and thanks so much for reading! I hope you're enjoying this and hope to see you at the next chapter, cheers, Magpie


	4. Chapter 4

**Everyone goes to Rick's part 4**

A Revolution fic (No Blackout AU): Miles Matheson, Nora Clayton, Niles, Jeremy Baker. Rating M.

The near future and a lot has changed. The world has been at war for fifteen years and the seas are rising flooding coastlines and low lying communities, driving those who can afford it onto floating islands or secure, tech rich enclaves guarded by private armies. Those who don't have the resources manage as best they can in a world running out of everything, including hope.

Miles Matheson is done with fighting and has gone off the grid, running a bar in the gangland wastes of drowned Chicago. He thinks he's left the past behind. Then one night his ex girlfriend Nora Clayton walks into the bar with another face from his past, Jeremy Baker.

AN: Welcome to the final chapter of this story for the OrgyArmada's 60 moods of summer' fic fest (well it's summer over here lol!). Thanks so much for coming back and reading and for your kind comments for previous chapters, I hope you enjoy this next bit…

 **Part four…**

Rick's was burning. The flames flaring bright and high, twisting and sparking into the night and making the moon look as though it was wearing a red veil. The fire also threw a red halo around the small figure of Mia, tied by the wrists and hanging from one of the loading docks where Strausser's men had strung her, her face strained and body jerking as she struggled to keep breathing.

From their cover behind the foot bridge between the block islands, Miles and Nora watched as Strausser ordered mortar after mortar fired into the hotel, the explosions like small suns belching fire and sending glowing, spiralling smoke high into the sky, the blasts flaring red against the bright light of the flood lights mounted on the boat.

'He always was a vindictive bastard.' Miles shook his head in disgust and handed Nora one of the pendants. 'Here, put this on.'

She took it, weighing it in her palm, surprised that it was lighter than it looked, then slung the chain around her neck and glanced up at him, 'Why?' Her eyes returned to Mia, fingers tense around the grip of her gun.

'If we get separated it'll stop them tracking you, and help me find you.' He shrugged, 'unless they managed to get the codes out of Ben or Rachel.'

'Bass'll do what he can to protect them, you know that.'

He looked doubtful, 'Davis controls the senate and congress, anyone who does or says anything against him ends up in jail or dead.' He shrugged, 'or goes off the grid like me.'

Nora frowned up at him, 'Bass knows how to protect his own, Miles, and he's getting more and more support every day this war keeps on going. Davis lost a hell of a lot of ground when he lowered the age for conscription and now he's talking about rescinding medical exemptions too which means Danny could get called up.'

Miles huffed, 'over Rachel's dead body, and Bass is a politician, Nora. He'll do what he can so long as it doesn't hurt his numbers.'

She shot another glance at him. 'That's not fair. You're just mad at him for marrying Charlie.'

He looked away, eyes hard and sad at the same time, 'Yeah. I am. I know him, Nora, we grew up together, remember? He seduced her, she was way too young to know what she wanted, and he used that, he used her.'

Nora shook her head, 'that isn't true either, and you know it. Rachel and Ben have accepted it, why can't you? Charlie knew what she wanted from the very first time she saw Bass and she never changed her mind. You're lucky she waited as long as she did.'

Miles' jaw tightened, 'he's too old for her.'

She sighed. 'He's just right for her, she's way too much like her mom,' her eyes flashed, 'and you for that matter. She'd eat guys her own age alive. He can protect her and he's the only one left who's got the balls to go up against Davis.' Her eyes narrowed, serious. 'Now what's the plan? How are we going to get Mia away from that psychopath?'

They both tensed when a voice, harsh and amplified echoed across the water. 'Miles Matheson and Nora Clayton. I know you can hear me. As you can see, I have Mia, and if you don't do what I say, I'll let her hang there till she suffocates. All I want is that pendant. Give it to me and I'll let her go free.' The voice was distorted but recognisable.

'Strausser.' Miles was busy loading his other guns. 'And he's only talking about one pendant.' He slapped a magazine into place, not bothering to keep it quiet, 'which is a good thing.'

'Yeah? Why?' Nora was getting impatient, anxious.

Miles reached into his pocket, pulling out another silver oval on a chain, tossing it up in the air then catching it in his fist, chain and pendant glittering red in the light of the flames. 'Because if he'd mentioned more than one, It'd mean they'd got to Ben and Rachel.' A dark eyebrow lifted, 'so maybe Bass did come through after all.'

She shrugged, 'I said he would, didn't I?' She glanced at the new pendant, 'so is that real?'

He shrugged, 'yeah, in a manner of speaking,' He stood up, 'I hate to admit it, but my brother really is a genius. Now stay out of sight.' He bent down and kissed her, hard. A promise of more. Her lips were soft and warm and full under his and when she opened them her mouth tasted like the sweetest whisky.

Nora kissed him back, her head swimming and heart pounding like it always did when he was close, like it always had and always would, 'Don't you dare die on me, Miles, not now.'

He grinned against her lips, then pulled back a little, stroking a hand down her back to her ass and squeezing gently, his eyes warm. 'What, are you kidding? And miss out on another piece of this?' He kissed her again, patted her ass, then let go and swung up onto the bridge, standing there in plain sight holding the pendant up and out over the water, the floodlights sending shadows off like long, dark fingers over the water and onto the sides of buildings on the other side.

There was a shout from the hotel as he was spotted by one of the lookouts.

Strausser's voice came floating over to them again, sounding coldly triumphant. 'I see you, Miles. Drop your weapon, keep your hands up where I can see them and bring the pendant to Sergeant Baker. Now.'

'Shit, you've got to be kidding me.' Miles shook his head in disgust, 'he wants me to surrender to Baker?'

Nora choked off a laugh, 'photo op, Miles. You and Jeremy are famous, remember?' She reached into her bag and pulled out a couple of grenades, slipping them into her pockets and slinging her rifle over one shoulder. 'I can see the vids now, 'Breaking news, face of the Marines Major Jeremy Baker arrests fugitive and ex-hero Miles Matheson in downtown Chicago.'

'Yeah, I'm sure the whole world's been waiting to see that, and I don't see any bugs,' Miles looked over at the loading dock. Jeremy Baker was standing there in uniform, looking like he'd just stepped off parade, but Mia wasn't there. He bent and put his rifle down where Nora could reach it, 'Mia's gone.'

Nora nodded, taking his gun and slinging it over her other shoulder, 'They took her to the boat, I saw her face as they went aboard.' She had another look in the sky above Strausser, 'and there won't be any bugs yet, not until you surrender. They won't let the press in till they're ready.' She got ready to move out, crouching to slip back out from under the bridge. 'I'll go around the back and take the guys on the boat if you take care of Strausser and Baker.'

He nodded, 'Get Mia and go, I'll find you.' He held the pendant high, waving it at the figure waiting for him, 'Hey, Baker. Get ready to smile for the cameras, I'm coming out', Then he spoke without turning his head although his eyes flicked down to her, 'wait for my signal before you move in, ok?'

'What signal?' She looked up at him, his body rose tall, rangy and powerful above hers and he seemed calm and confident in his own strength and ability to get through anything, like always…

The corners of his mouth lifted. 'You'll know.'

…..

Nora found her way to a position near the boat without any trouble, taking cover behind a wall a short run away from the boat where they were holding Mia. There was a gap in the crumbling mortar concrete blocks and she could see everything. A half dozen guards were stationed at the bottom of the boat ramp, and more on the boat but they were facing the burning hotel, not her. There were more of them than she'd thought, and getting Mia out of there was going to be a problem.

She took a deep breath, her mind racing with possibilities as Strausser walked up the ramp and onto the boat.

Then, to her shock and dismay, Mia came out of the wheelhouse, not tied up, no guard, and joined Strausser at the rail, both of them watching as Miles walked towards Jeremy. She was talking to Strausser as though she knew him, even trusted him.

Nora leaned on the wall, not wanting to believe what she was seeing. What the fuck was going on? She swallowed. Betrayal and disappointment were hard lumps in her throat, nearly choking her. How could Mia do that to her, to the only family she had left in the world. How could she pretend to be dying? What had Strausser done to her?

Mia stopped talking and frowned, her head tilting as she looked around into the shadows on the shore. Then somehow her eyes found Nora's, shock, anger, shame and a kind of regret all running through the familiar deep brown gaze…

Strausser looked too, his eyes glancing over the bricks and stone above Nora's head, his hand lifted ready to signal the guards…

Nora tensed, every muscle ready to retreat. She'd lost any chance of a surprise attack and there was no way she could fight all of them, not with just a gun. If she had her usual arsenal, maybe, but then she'd risk hurting Mia, and she couldn't do that, no matter what. And besides, Miles hadn't given the signal yet.

But Mia's eyes flickered, and she blinked, shrugged and turned away, shaking her head and saying something to the man beside her before turning back to where Miles had almost reached Jeremy.

Strausser had another look around, his face hard and sharp in the spotlights, then he lowered his hand.

The guards relaxed.

Nora blinked back tears. Her sister must have been working with Strausser for some time. Which explained a hell of a lot. The moods, the silences and evasions, the missing documents, even the tracers on her social media accounts. Strausser must have recruited Mia to get to Miles and Ben's pendant. And she'd done it. Nora had led them straight to Miles. Now there was no going back.

So what was so important about the pendants? About Ben and Rachel's work?

Leaving Mia behind because she had no choice, Nora faded back into the shadows and headed back to Miles.

….

Jeremy Baker stood very straight, his lips curved in the lop-sided, ironic smile that had appeared in a thousand vids, hundreds of tiny firefly camera bugs flashing in flickering, swirling, green clouds over his head, bright even against the flames engulfing Rick's. 'Hello Miles, it's good to see you again, and sorry that I've got to arrest you.'

As Miles got close, he held the pendant up higher, his eyes darting up to the cloud of tiny green bugs, 'Congratulations Jer. You found me, you're a hero.' He felt for the right spot then rested his thumb against the touch pad on the side of the pendant. A dark eyebrow lifted and his lips twitched. 'Sorry to spoil your big moment,'. He pressed the pad.

There was a sound that flowed over and through everything, like an invisible wave crashing. Then everything went black, absolutely and totally black, the floodlights, the fireflies, everything, even the flames consuming Rick's disappeared.

It was as though something had swallowed all the light in the world.

…

Nora stopped where she was because she didn't dare move. It was like someone had dropped a blackout curtain over the world. Even the stars were gone. She couldn't see anything in the black. She brought a hand up to her face but only knew it was there because she hit her own nose. It felt like she'd gone blind. She struggled to stay calm and upright. Miles had said he'd find her, she just had to stay where she was and wait

There were sounds of panic from behind her, back at the boat ramp. Yells, screams and gunshots, although they were muffled, indistinct.

She swallowed, holding on…

Then a pair of strong arms went around her from behind, a large, rough hand cradling her face, and warm, hard lips coming down on hers, his mouth swallowing her scream.

She nearly fell as relief surged through her, taking all the strength in her legs. But his body was there to lean on, hard, strong, solid. 'Miles…' She felt him pull away and move around in front of her and somehow she could see his face, like a black and white photo in the gloom, the pendant round his neck giving off a tiny, subdued glow.

His eyes caught hers, 'did you get Mia?'

She shook her head, not able to hide the hurt. 'It was all a lie Miles. She's working with Strausser, I had to leave her.'

Miles was silent for a moment, 'I'd wondered about that, hoped I was wrong.' He stroked a strand of hair back behind her ear. 'We can't do anything about it now and we'd better get out of here, Ben built in a time limit on the effect and we've got about five more minutes.'

'Where are we going?' She could just see his eyes, 'Hey, what is it?'

His lips twitched, 'you should've seen the look on Jeremy's face just before I pushed the button. He's going to have a really hard time explaining this to his fans.' He took her arm, 'come on, I've just sent Jim a message, he'll take care of things here till we get back.'

She followed as he led her through the dark, 'So it's Canada then?'

'For now anyway, we need to know what the rest of the rebels are planning. We're meeting Ben, Rachel and Danny there too, maybe even Bass and Charlie if things get worse in Washington.' He squeezed her hand. 'It's time to join the revolution.'

….

AN: Thanks so much for reading! I've really enjoyed giving Miles and Nora this adventure – and playing with the concepts around the nano. This is a work of fiction, although I must admit, a lot of my own fears for the future went into it. Let's all keep hoping (and working) for a better future. Wishing you all the best. Magpie

Pendants – what do they do?

Jim? Does he come back to help?

How do they get Mia away – has she been working with Strausser? Or has she been captured. Was she paid or given release from the army and to save Nora if she helped capture Miles and the pendants?


End file.
